Oren was repeatedly interrupted and called "murderer" and "war criminal" by pro-Palestinian students as he was giving a talk on the Middle East peace process. Eleven students were cited on charges of disrupting a public event after they were requested to refrain from heckling but did not.

Watch Oren being heckled at UC Irvine:

The diplomat said he understood the emotional nature of Middle East politics, but said it was also important to observe the decorum of free speech and hear others' viewpoints.

"I was saddened by the loss of this opportunity to exchange ideas with those who disagreed with me and, at the very least, to introduce them to different perspectives," he wrote.

Oren noted that the incident underscored the importance of dialogue, and said dialogue was the only way peace in the Middle East would be achieved. He offered to return to the campus as long as the proper decorum of free speech is respected.

The
arrest of the 11 students has turned into a political issue on campus,
with some students saying the hecklers were unfairly targeted for
making a political statement and exercising their own right to free
speech.

Sites Of Interest

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